Filing-case.



NO- 829,750. I PATENTED AUG. 28, 1906. T. J. AMBERG & W. D. PATTERSON.

FILING CASE.

APPLICATION FILED APR.4.1905.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THEODORE J. AMBERG AND WALTER D. PATTERSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS TO AMBERG FILE &; INDEX COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

FILING-CASE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 4, 1905. Serial No. 253,759.

Patented Aug. 28, 1906.

I BERG and WALTER D. PATTERSON, citizens of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Filing-Cases; and we do hereby de clare that the followingis a full, clear, and ex-i act description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in filing-drawers for use in filing systems of that class known as vertical filing systems, 1

wherein the papers, cards, or documents to be filed are confined between the front wall or headboard of the drawer and a follower-board movable toward and from said front wall. In some instances the papers to be filed are placed between vertically-arranged indexed ing-leaves which are confined between the front wall or headboard of the drawer and such follower-board.

The invention relates more specifically to an improved locking device for frictionally holding the follower-board in place against the expanding action of the papers or docu ments compressed within the drawer and so constructed as to permit the ready release of the follower-board.

As shown in the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a filing-drawer, broken away, provided with a follower-board having our improved locking device. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary longitudinal vertical section thereof with the follower-board shown in the rear part of the drawer. Fig. 3 is a fra mentary vertical transverse section of the drawer, showing the locking device. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of the drawer-bottom, showing the locking-clip in lace- Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the ocking device removed from the followerboard. Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of the bottom and headboards of the drawer, showing therein an opening through which the gripping-arms are passed to insert the locking-clip in place and to release it.

As shown in the drawings, A designates as a whole an oblong rectangular drawer of familiar form, andB a follower-board extending transversely thereacross, between which and the front wall or panel a of the box is located .and confined the documents or papers to be filed. The papers to be filed are confined between said follower-board and the front wall or headboard a of the drawer. As herein shown, the papers are placed between indexed filing-leaves C vof a familiar form. So far as the present invention is concerned said drawer may be of the form herein shown or may be of that type wherein the side walls are replaced by longitudinal retaining rods or bars. The bottom wall a, of the drawer is provided with a longitudinal slot (1 extending from front to rear of the drawer. Located within this slot and secured to the front wall in any approved manner is a guide-rod D. The filing-leaves are provided at their lower margins with apertured tabs, through which said rod D extends to hold the leaves in place. The said follower-board has ripping engagement with the upper face of the bottom of the drawer, and said followerboard is provided with gripping-arms, connected with theboard by a part extending through the slot, which arms have gripping contact with the lower face of the bottom of the drawer slightlyin advance of the grippingsurface of the follower-board with the upper face of said bottom. With this construction rearward pressure on the follower-board, due to the expansive action of the papers confined between the follower-board and the front wall of the drawer, serves to bring said upper and lower gripping surfaces in action and lock the follower-board in place. The particular construction shown, whereby such gripping action is effected, is made as follows:

' ed to said lower edge of the followerboard B in line with the groove a is a lockingclip, (designated as a whole by E.) Said clip i embraces in general terms a flat plate e, which is attached to the bottom edge of the follower-board by means of screws 1) and provided with a vertical part 0, which extends downwardly through the slot a of the bottom of the drawer. Extending forwardly from the lower edge of said vertical part e below said bottom wall is a flat flange E that extends transversely across and beyond said slot and bears upwardly at its ends against the bottom wall at the sides of the slot. The ends of said flange which extend laterally beyond the slot constitute gripping-arms e margin of the follower-boardact simultaneously against the opposite faces of the bottom of the drawer and effectually lock the follower-board from rearward movement. The

base-plate is made approximately the width of the slot 0, Fig. 4, and is preferably provided with wide side faces 6 that have guid ing engagement with the side walls of the slot, and prevent tendency of the follower-board twisting out of place in the drawer. When the clip is made of sheet metal, said side or lateral bearin 'faees are formed on flanges turned downwardfy from the base-plate. When said clip is formed of sheet metal, the vertical offset portion 6 at the end of the baselate constitutes a flange bent downwardly om the base-plate, to which is joined the flange E, that is substantially parallel with the base-plate. The offset flange e brings the gripping-arms below the lower face of .the bottom wall of the drawer, and said grippingarms extend some distance laterally beyond the slot a to afford large gripping-surfaces. The ofiset portion e is provided with an aperture a through which the filing-leaves holding-rod extends. The ipping-arms are depressed on their upper aces to form on their lower faces obliquely-disposed stiffening-ribs e Conveniently the bottom wall of the drawer is provided near the front wall or headboard thereofwith oppositely-disposed notches a opening laterally from the slot a in said bottom and made of such size as to permit the free passage therethrough of the grippingarms. Said lateral or transverse notches afford means for inserting the clip in place and removing it at a time when the clip is attached to the follower-board. The notches or openings are located closely adjacent to the headboard, so as to avoid liability of accidental detachment of the clip when thedrawer is in use, it being obvious that the clip cannot bev released through said openings when the space between the follower and head boards is filled with papers or documents.

The construction described is such as to permit the follower-board to move freely backwardly or forwardly in the drawer when the upper side of the board is tilted slightly forward; but when rearward pressure is ap-' plied thereto the opposing .grippingsurfaces act on the opposite sides of the drawer-bottom to firmly lock or grip the board in place. It will be observed that the lower upwardlyfacing gripping-surfaces of the gripping-arms are located somewhat in advance of the downwardly-facing gripping-surface, thereby proagainst the papers and properly confine the same and that the expansive pressure of the papers automatically locks the followerboard in place inthe manner described.

When the upper part, of the board is tilted forwardly, however, the gripping-surfaces are released, and at this time the followerboard is free to be shifted either forwardly or backwardly.

The locking device herein shown is exceedingly simple to construct and apply and affords an efficient. lock for the purpose set forth. It adds but slight cost to the filing device, and it is capable of use equally well with small filing-drawers for index-cards as for larger drawers designed to receive larger documents, as letters, in vertical order.

WVe claim as our invention- 1. The combination with a filing-drawer provided with a longitudinally-slotted bottom wall, of a follower-board therein having at its lower edge a gripping-surface engaging the upper face of said bottom wall, and a locking-clip comprising a plate attached to the lower edge of the follower-board in line with the slot of the bottom wall, extendin downwardly through said slot, and provided with laterally-directed rigid gripping-arms located in advance of the front face of the said board and extending laterally beneath said board at the sides of the slot, said arms being adapted to press upwardly against the lower face of said bottom wall, when the top of the board is pressed backwardly, to afford gripping engagement of the lower edge of the board and the said arms with said bottom wall.

2. The combination with a filing-drawer provided with a longitudinally-slotted bottom wall, of a follower-board therein having at its lower edge a gripping-surface engaging the upper face of said bottom wall, and a locking-clip provided with a plate attached to the lower edge of the follower-board in line with said slot, and extending downwardly through said slot and provided with rigid laterally-directed gripping-arms, located in advance of the front face of said board and extending laterally beneath said board at the sides of said slot, said arms being adapted to press upwardly against the lower face of said bottom wall when the to of the board is pressed backwardly to a 0rd gripping engagement of the lower edge of the board and. said arms with said bottom wall, said plate IIC - being provided in its part beneath the board and Within the slot with laterally-directed bearing-surfaces adapted for guiding engagement with the sides of said slot.

3. The combination with a filing-drawer provided with a longitudinally-slotted bottom wall, of a follower-board therein having at its lower edge a gripping-surface engaging the upper face of said bottom wall and a locking-clip comprising a plate attached to the lower edge of the follower-board in line with the slot in said bottom wall, said plate being provided at its front end with a verticallyoffset part and the latter being provided at its lower margin with laterally-directed gripping-arms adapted for gripping engagement with the under face of the bottom wall at the sides of the slot.

4. The combination with a filing-drawer provided with a longitudinally-slotted bottom wall, of a follower-board therein having at its lower edge a gripping-surface engaging the upper face of said bottom wall and a locking-clip comprising a plate attached to the lower edge of the follower-board in line with the slot in said bottom wall, said plate being provided at its front end with a vertically-offset part and the latter being pro vided at its lower margin with laterally-directed gripping-arms adapted for gripping engagement with the under face of the bottom wall at the sides of the slot, the side margins of said plate being provided with vertical flanges adapted for guiding engagement with the sides of said slot.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our invention we affix our signatures, in presence of two witnesses, this 30th day of March, A. D. 1905.

THEODORE J. AMBERG. WALTER D. PATTERSON. Witnesses:

MORTIMER O. WATTERS, JAcoB OREMERIUS. 

